Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan, profile of a defeated president - BBC News BBC News Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan, profile of a defeated president 31 March 2015 Close share panel Image copyright AFP Defeated in his bid for re-election in the 28 March poll, Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan had a rapid and highly improbable rise to power, Until November 2009, he was serving out his time as a low-key deputy from the south of the country to a low-key president from the north. But then, President Umaru Yar'Adua was taken to hospital in Saudi Arabia and was not seen again in public until he died on 5 May 2010. Step forward, Mr Jonathan. After months of political wrangling, Nigeria's elite finally accepted him as acting leader in February 2010 when the ailing president returned home, but remained too ill to govern. Barely 12 hours after Mr Yar'Adua's death, Mr Jonathan was sworn in as the new president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Africa's most populous nation - one of its most fractious democracies.

Not bad for a man who had never been elected to major public office in his own right. 'Super pastors' He defied the governing People's Democratic Party's (PDP) tradition of alternating presidential power between north and south after two terms of office by winning the party's primaries. In 2011, he won his first election - for president - despite opposition claims of fraud. Goodluck Jonathan in focus: Born in 1957 in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, Mr Jonathan is a Christian from the Ijaw ethnic group. He is said to be extremely close to the "super pastors" of Nigeria's hugely popular Pentecostal churches. His family's trade was canoe-making, but he studied zoology at university. He worked as an education inspector, lecturer and environmental protection officer before going into politics in 1998. Image copyright AFP Image caption Many illegal oil refineries exist in Nigeria's Bayelsa state, from where the president hails Just as his rapid rise to power in the federal government owed a lot to luck, so too did his promotion to state governor.

Elected as deputy governor for his home state, Bayelsa, in 1999, he was once again serving his time without particular distinction. Until, that is, his boss was impeached on corruption charges. 'Meteoric rise' Mr Jonathan took over as governor and two years later was hand-picked by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to run on the PDP's ticket as vice-presidential candidate in 2007. PDP insiders regarded him as a politician without a political base - and more of an administrator than a leader. Image copyright Reuters Image caption Mr Jonathan was chosen as the PDP's presidential candidate for 2015 without a contest It had been suggested that Nigeria's many groups of powerbrokers agreed to let Mr Jonathan formally become acting president only because he was not seen as a threat. But he threw his hat into the ring at the PDP primaries and with several central and northern states backing him, proved his political acumen. "There has not been any rise that's been so meteoric in Nigeria," analyst Charles Dokubo said in 2010. On the relevance of the acting president's name, he said: "What is luck?

Luck is when you can take advantage of an opportunity. He was in the right place at the right time." Image copyright AFP Image caption Ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari beat Mr Jonathan Journalist Ben Shemang is among the many Nigerians who believe Mr Jonathan's name had given him an advantage. He told the BBC that Mr Jonathan was doubly lucky as his other given name was equally propitious - Ebele, which means "God's wish". "That tells you that it was the wish of the parents for him to be successful," he said. Amnesty But Mr Jonathan's luck finally ran out when he lost the 28 March presidential election to Gen Muhammadu Buhari. This has made him the first sitting president to be defeated in a Nigerian election. Image copyright AFP Image caption An insurgency waged by militant Islamists has caused havoc in the north Image copyright AFP Image caption Boko Haram has vowed to create an Islamic state in Nigeria Some analysts say this is not surprising. Mr Jonathan suffered a major blow in December 2013 when Mr Obasanjo, his former backer, called on him to step down.

In a widely circulated 18-page letter, Mr Obasanjo accused him of failing to deal with the many problems facing Nigeria - including an Islamist insurgency in the north-east, corruption, piracy, kidnapping and oil theft. A powerful faction of PDP members, including state governors and MPs, also defected to the newly formed opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). This paved the way for Mr Jonathan's defeat, as they rallied support for Gen Buhari. But Mr Jonathan called him to congratulate him, confounding critics who thought he would not give up power.

Jonathan and the 2015 presidential elections (1) - Vanguard News Vanguard News A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc Search for: Home » Columns » Sunday Perspectives » Jonathan and the 2015 presidential elections (1) Jonathan and the 2015 presidential elections (1) On 12:50 amIn Sunday Perspectives by alexsamade Comments By Douglas Anele In my estimation, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former military President, Ibrahim Babangida and President Goodluck Jonathan are three of the luckiest prominent Nigerians alive today. For one thing, they came from very humble backgrounds and rose to occupy the highest political office in the country, not because they really merited it but because in human affairs the seemingly improbable oftentimes becomes a genuine possibility. Obasanjo, as commander of the Third Marine Division of the Nigerian army, played a decisive role in the closing moments of the civil war by capturing Radio Biafra and broadcasting a message calling on Biafran soldiers to put down their weapons.

He succeeded late Murtala Mohammed as military head of state in February 1976. Obasanjo made history by becoming the first military head of state to hand over power to a democratically elected President. In a very interesting twist of fate, upon release from prison in 1998, he contested and won the presidential elections of February 1999 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to become the first Nigerian to rule the country both as a soldier and civilian. Obasanjo was President from May 29, 1999 to May 28, 2007. Babangida, like Obasanjo, fought on the federal side during the Biafran war. He came into public consciousness on August 27, 1985 after he took over the reins of power in a military coup that removed Muhammadu Buhari from office. Babangida’s most important economic and political programmes, the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) and the Transition to Civil Rule Programme, were unsuccessful.

Babangida survived a military coup in April 1990 when Major Gideon Orkar and his cohorts unsuccessfully attempted to excise Northern Nigeria from the rest of the country. About three years later, he succumbed to pressure and “stepped aside” after annulling results of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. President Goodluck Jonathan was a trained animal scientist who worked as a lecturer before becoming deputy governor of Bayelsa State under Diepriye Alameyeseigha. Jonathan’s ascendance to the pinnacle of political power was so meteoric that his supporters with the proclivity of seeing divine intervention in everything publicly proclaimed that the name “Goodluck” portends providentially ordained greatness for the bearer of that name. His emergence as substantive President months after the demise of Umar Musa Yar’Adua marked a paradigm-shift with respect to the geo-ethnic balance of power in Nigeria, because he is the first person from the south-south geopolitical zone to become President, although a few hard-core members of the Northern establishment tried unsuccessfully to stop him. President Jonathan consolidated his hold on political power by winning the 2011 presidential elections.

Now, after months of shilly-shallying, he has finally declared his intention to seek a second term of office in 2015. Expectedly, the declaration has elicited mixed reactions from Nigerians. The PDP had already declared Jonathan their sole presidential candidate even before he announced his intention to contest, while the leadership of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in a desperate move for political relevance and survival, stated publicly that the party would support him. But chieftains of the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), believe that the ambition of President Jonathan to remain in office beyond the end of May 2015 is a huge mistake. In addition, Ben Nwabueze, a noted constitutional lawyer, on several occasions persuasively argued that Jonathan should not seek re-election. Now, before deciding whether President Jonathan should or should not seek a second term of office, certain things must be considered thoroughly first. To begin with, the question of eligibility must be addressed, given the objection that Mr.

President is ineligible to contest because, if he wins, that would be tantamount to having a third term of office, which would bring the number of years he would serve as President to nine, ending in 2019. This situation apparently conflicts with argument that any elected President shares a joint ticket with the Vice-President, and the constitutional provision that a person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections. To determine whether President Jonathan is qualified or not to contest next year’s elections, it is necessary to ascertain what precisely the 1999 constitution stipulates concerning the qualification, tenure and disqualification for the office of President. Section 131 of the constitution indentified four criteria a person must meet to qualify to be elected President, namely, citizenship, age (forty and above), membership of a registered political party, and educational qualifications (school certificate or its equivalent), which I consider too low. Clearly, President Jonathan meets all these criteria.

Regarding the issue of tenure, section 135 subsection 2 affirms that, subject to the provisions of subsection 1 of the same section, the President shall vacate his office at the expiration of a period of four years after taking the oaths of allegiance and of office. Of course, as stated in section 137 subsection 1(b), a person who has been elected to the office of President at any two previous elections cannot vie for that position. Now, the fundamental question is, could Jonathan be deemed to have been elected twice, after taking the oaths of office in 2010 to complete late Yar’Adua’s tenure and in 2011 when he contested and won? I am not a constitutional lawyer, but anyone who searches the 1999 constitution for a straightforward and clear answer to the question above will be disappointed.

For instance, sections 141 and 142 that deal with the establishment of the office and nomination and election of the Vice-President, respectively, create the impression that the offices of President and Vice-President are inseparable, in which case Jonathan, by completing the joint ticket he won with his late boss, could be construed as having done his first term of office. However, based on the provisions of sections 143 and 144 stipulating conditions for the removal or incapacity of the President and Vice-President, it is very clear that the two positions are distinct, which implies that the fate that befalls the occupier of one office does not automatically befall the other. Section 148 is more explicit on this point: it avers that “The President may, in his discretion, assign to the Vice-President or any Minister of the Government of the Federation responsibility for any business of the Government of the Federation, including the administration of any department of government.” Therefore, although the constitution stipulates a joint ticket for the President and the Vice-President, it makes it clear that the President is in charge and that the Vice-President serves at his pleasure. To be concluded.

Goodluck Jonathan | president of Nigeria | Britannica.com president of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan, (born November 20, 1957, Otuoke, Nigeria), Nigerian zoologist and politician who served as vice president (2007–10) and president (2010–15) of Nigeria . Goodluck Jonathan, 2010. Pius Utomi Ekpei—AFP/Getty Images Jonathan, of the Ijo (Ijaw) ethnic group and a Christian, was born and raised in the region of the Niger delta in what is now Bayelsa state. He attended Christian primary and secondary schools in the area and later attended the University of Port Harcourt, earning a B.S. in zoology (1981), an M.S. in hydrobiology and fisheries biology (1985), and a Ph.D. in zoology (1995). During his university education, he also taught at Rivers State College of Education from 1983 until 1993. He then served as an assistant director at the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission, a now defunct government agency, from 1993 until 1998.

Jonathan’s political career began when he became involved with the nascent People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the late 1990s. He was elected deputy governor of Bayelsa state in 1999 under the party’s banner. He served in that position until 2005, when he was elevated to the governorship after the incumbent was charged with corruption and impeached. In 2007 he was selected to be the vice presidential running mate of the PDP’s presidential candidate, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua . He and Yar’Adua were elected in April and inaugurated in May. As vice president, Jonathan engaged in efforts to negotiate with militants in the Niger delta, who were fighting against petroleum companies operating in the delta region, but otherwise he largely remained in the political background. His profile rose considerably in early 2010 when Yar’Adua’s extended absence from the country for medical treatment made many Nigerians anxious and generated calls for Yar’Adua to formally transfer power to Jonathan.

As concerns mounted and there was no word from Yar’Adua on the request to transfer power to his vice president, members of Nigeria’s National Assembly took matters into their own hands and on February 9, 2010, voted to have Jonathan assume full power and serve as acting president until Yar’Adua was able to resume his duties. Jonathan agreed and assumed power later that day, but it was unclear whether the assumption of power was constitutional. When Yar’Adua returned to Nigeria on February 24, 2010, it was announced that Jonathan would remain as acting president while Yar’Adua continued to recuperate. The next month, Jonathan asserted his power by replacing Yar’Adua’s cabinet. Yar’Adua, who never fully recovered, died on May 5, 2010, and Jonathan was sworn in as president the following day. Jonathan vowed to continue his involvement in the Niger delta peace negotiations and declared his intentions to reform the country’s oft-criticized electoral process as well as tackle corruption and deal with the country’s energy problems.

Britannica Stories Scientists Ponder Menopause in Killer Whales There was much speculation as to how Jonathan’s unexpected term as president would affect the PDP’s unofficial policy of rotating the presidency between candidates from the predominantly Christian south and the predominantly Muslim north. Jonathan’s declaration in September 2010 of his intent to stand in the 2011 presidential election immediately generated controversy, as many argued that the northerners were still owed another term in office. In the PDP’s January 2011 primaries, Jonathan was elected to be the party’s candidate for the presidency. His overwhelming victory showed that his candidacy had considerable support—in the north as well as the south—even though it was a departure from the unofficial north-south rotation policy. Jonathan was also victorious in the country’s presidential election, held on April 16, 2011. He won about 59 percent of the vote, securing an outright victory and avoiding the need for a runoff election. Reforming Nigeria’s electoral process had been one of Jonathan’s goals, and international observers praised this election as being largely transparent, free, and fair. Structures of Government: Fact or Fiction?

Jonathan’s first full term as president was dominated by an insurgency primarily in the northeast, led by the Islamic militant group Boko Haram . Boko Haram’s acts of terror escalated during Jonathan’s administration, and, despite the government taking such action as declaring states of emergency in the areas most affected and attempting mediation, the group’s violence continued unabated until a regional force was formed and pursued the group in earnest beginning in February 2015. Jonathan’s progress in tackling economic issues was mixed: although the country experienced overall economic growth under his administration, many Nigerians still lived in poverty, with a far greater percentage of the poor living in the north. He also had to deal with disagreements within the PDP, which led to several PDP members defecting to opposition groups. In spite of this, Jonathan was once again elected to be the PDP candidate for the next presidential election, scheduled for 2015. Jonathan faced more than a dozen candidates, but his strongest challenger was former military head of state Muhammadu Buhari , who was the flag bearer for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Whereas Jonathan had been criticized for not acting decisively enough to combat Boko Haram, Buhari had a strong military background and was seen as capable of successfully dealing with the militants, making him an attractive candidate to many. The election, held on March 28, 2015, proved to be the most closely fought race ever held in Nigeria. As most of the results were tabulated, it became clear that Jonathan would finish behind Buhari, and Jonathan conceded. It marked the first time in Nigeria’s history that an incumbent had been defeated. How Nigeria's presidential election works - BBC News BBC News How Nigeria's presidential election works 27 March 2015 Image copyright Getty Images Image caption President Goodluck Jonathan faces tough opposition from Muhammadu Buhari Nigeria's presidential election, postponed until 28 March, promises to be a closely fought rematch between incumbent Goodluck Jonathan and former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari. The rise of Islamist group Boko Haram in the north-east has put security at the centre of their election campaigns, but the candidates are at odds over how to handle the insurgency in Africa's biggest oil producer. Boko Haram has recently pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

The elections were postponed for six weeks, just a week before they were originally due to be held in mid-February. Image copyright Reuters Image caption Violence erupted in the northern state of Gombe ahead of an election rally by President Jonathan The Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) said this was because the military had advised it would be unable to provide security as its soldiers were committed to the fight against Boko Haram. Past elections have been marred by violence and allegations of vote-rigging. Since campaigning began in mid-November, both the ruling and opposition camps have reported violent attacks which have killed a number of their supporters. Who are the main candidates? Fourteen candidates are contesting the election but only Mr Jonathan and Gen Buhari have a realistic chance of winning. President Jonathan is seeking a second four-year term. His People's Democratic Party (PDP) has dominated Nigerian politics since civilian rule was restored in 1999 but now faces its toughest election challenge, from the All Progressives Congress (APC). Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Supporters of Goodluck Jonathan turned out in large numbers for a rally in Port Harcourt, south Nigeria Mr Jonathan is expected to do well on his home ground in the mainly Christian south.

But his government has been fiercely criticized for its failure to combat Boko Haram in the north-east. President Jonathan told the BBC on 20 March that Boko Haram was "getting weaker and weaker every day" and that their territory could be recaptured within a month. The government claims that major gains have been made with the help of Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria. Gen Buhari has lost the last three elections but some sections of the Nigerian media are predicting a win this time. He has described the PDP's 16-year rule as "a disaster for the country and its citizens". He is said to be extremely popular in the mainly Muslim north and has in the past supported the implementation of Islamic law there. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna Gen Buhari has made security a priority during his presidential election campaign. He has promised to crush the Islamist insurgency within months if elected. He has publicly denounced Boko Haram repeatedly, branding them "bigots masquerading as Muslims." Last July, he survived an attack on his convoy allegedly carried out by the group.

Fears are rife that Boko Haram's insurgency may disenfranchise voters in the north, seen as a Buhari stronghold. Gen Buhari is also expected to do well in the south-west around the commercial capital Lagos. But former militants in the oil-rich southern Niger Delta have endorsed Mr Jonathan's candidacy and warned of violence if Gen Buhari wins. The APC party has condemned their threats as "barbaric". Where they stand on key election issues While the personalities of the two main candidates have been at the forefront of this election campaign, certain key issues - namely insecurity, elite corruption among high-profile politicians and business leaders and the state of the economy - have become increasingly important to voters. Goodluck Jonathan Profile: Muhammadu Buhari How does the electoral system work? The Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) has promised a clean ballot. All 14 candidates have signed an agreement binding them to credible and non-violent elections. Official campaigning is due to end on 27 March - 24 hours before polling day. The candidate with the most votes is declared the winner in the first round, as long as he gains at least 25% of the votes in two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Permanent Voters' Cards are being used for the first time in Nigeria Biometric cards will be used for the first time. Inec says more than 80% of the nearly 70 million eligible voters have obtained their identity cards. The minimum voting age is 18. An extra 30,027 polling stations have been set up, bringing the total to 150,000 nationwide. Polls will open at 08:00 local time (07:00 GMT). All voters must be present at their designated polling station by 13:00 local time to be allowed to cast their ballot. Polls will close when the last person in the queue has voted. The authorities say 360,000 police officers will be deployed at strategic areas, along with sniffers dogs. Inec has approved the presence of international and local observers to monitor the elections, although the European Union says its observers will not deploy in the north-east due to security concerns.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Women fleeing Boko Haram violence queue at a camp for displaced people in Borno State Parliament amended the electoral law on 15 January, allowing an estimated one million people displaced by the insurgency to cast their votes. They can vote at specially-provided facilities near or within camps in their states of origin. When will we get the results? In Nigeria, as in many parts of Africa, exit polls are rarely used to call elections as results are so often disputed. Once votes have been counted, the results from each polling unit will be uploaded to the electoral commission's website. Inec says it expects to announce the final results within 48 hours. In reality though, the final outcome may not be known for some time. And judging by previous elections, it is likely that the results will be challenged. What happens if there is a run-off? If there is no outright winner in the first round, the law states a run-off election must be held within seven days. But Inec has said it is doubtful whether a run-off vote could be organized in a week. Victory in a run-off election is by simple majority. What about the parliamentary and gubernatorial elections?

Parliamentary elections have also been put back to 28 March, with 739 candidates vying for a place in the 109-seat Senate and 1,780 seeking election to the 360-seat National Assembly. Nigerians will vote again on 11 April to choose new governors and state assemblies for 29 of the 36 states. Like the president, governors are limited to two four-year terms, so this election will see new occupants in many states. Governors hold huge sway because they allocate federally disbursed revenue and shape policy on development and security in their states. Among the key states to watch are Lagos, Kano and Rivers - currently in APC hands - because of their large populations and economic power. Some of these states have budgets larger than those of neighbouring countries, meaning there is fierce competition to run them. BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook .

Nigeria’s President Launches Re-election Campaign Nigeria’s President Launches Re-election Campaign January 09, 2015 12:07 AM James Butty Supporters of Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan, sing slogans, during an election campaign rally, at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, Nigeria, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015. Share See comments A spokesman for Nigeria’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) predicted President Goodluck Jonathan will successfully win re-election on February 14 this year. Olisa Metuh, national publicity secretary of the PDP said former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) party is not an alternative because his party has no winnable message. Buhari blames the president for perpetuating corruption and making Nigeria unsafe because of the government’s inability to end the Boko Haram insurgency. This came as President Jonathan Thursday launched his campaign for a second term at a rally in Lagos. PDP spokesman Metuh said Jonathan explained to the thousands who attended the rally his government’s successes and plans for moving Nigeria forward. “We feel that President Jonathan should be re-elected because of what he has done.

Amid the security challenges that we have in our country, in the face of the global financial crisis we have, he has been able to stabilize the economy of the country. We have promoted [the] private sector, we have dealt with the fuel crisis in this country that used to happen in this country,” he said. Metuh said the most important quality the PDP is promoting for the re-election of President Jonathan is his democratic credentials. “We have a president who believes in the rule of law, a president who believes in free and transparent, one man, one vote,” Metuh said. Metuh said the opposition is to blame for the insecurity in the country because they have not supported the president in the fight against Boko Haram. “You know that every major country has some form of terrorist activity. It is not something that you eradicate in six months or one year. Say in France, whenever there is a terrorist activity, the entire citizenry will come together in the street to condemn it. They show the terrorists that they are one. In our country whenever we have a bomb blast instead of the opposition joining hands with the president to show the terrorists that Nigerians are one, they keep on issuing damning statements.

And there is no unity in fighting the terrorists,” Metuh said. Metuh said the Jonathan government has been consistent in the fight against corruption. “Our party, for the first time in our country, created bodies to fight corruption. We are not in charge of the instrument of investigation. The judiciary is in charge of that corruption is being highlight, and it’s because of the effort of Mr. President,” Metuh said. He said “selfish interest” is preventing the opposition from being concerned about the stability of Nigeria. Instead, they have chosen to constantly condemn the president. But Metuh said Nigerians support the president because they have seen the opposition true. “Indeed, Nigerians are with the president and the PDP. We will win this election on our program. We will win this election on our performance. In spite of our alleged imperfections, the opposition is not an alternative for the growth and sustenance of democracy in our country,” Metuh said. Buhari remains the single most popular man in northern Nigeria, writes Soyombo [Reuters] By Fisayo Soyombo edits Nigerian online newspaper TheCable.

Story highlights For the first time in Nigeria's 16 years of democracy, there is real chance that the president could be someone other than the candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). Many times, I have described Muhammadu Buhari, the man who will face Jonathan in 2015, as a "perennially-losing presidential candidate". In 2003 he emerged as the sole candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP), after two candidates Rochas Okorocha and Harry Akande were pressured into stepping down, while Yahaya Abubakar failed to show up on the date of the primary. In the elections, Buhari lost to then incumbent, Olusegun Obasanjo of the PDP. In 2007, he was consensus candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) after Bukar Ibrahim and Pere Ajunwa were made to back down on For the first time in the last 16 years - Nigeria's longest spell of democracy - there is a real chance that the president could be someone other than the candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).

Many times, I have described Muhammadu Buhari, the man who will face Jonathan in 2015, as a "perennially-losing presidential candidate". In 2003 he emerged as the sole candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP), after two candidates Rochas Okorocha and Harry Akande were pressured into stepping down, while Yahaya Abubakar failed to show up on the date of the primary. In the elections, Buhari lost to then incumbent, Olusegun Obasanjo of the PDP. In 2007, he was consensus candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) after Bukar Ibrahim and Pere Ajunwa were made to back down on convention day. Buhari then lost to PDP's Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. In 2011, he contested the elections on the platform of the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), which he formed, losing again, to Goodluck Jonathan. In all three cases, his emergence was without intra-party opposition. But I am first to admit that Buhari's story has changed.

By contesting and winning the presidential primary of the All Progressive Congress (APC) - the first time his presidential ambition has been challenged - Buhari has recorded the most important victory of his political career. And if the 2015 election is free and fair, he could well better that record. Why Buhari may win Buhari remains the single most popular man in northern Nigeria. Despite lacking real party structure, Buhari, with CPC in 2011, defeated Jonathan in Yobe, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, Kebbi, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe and Jigawa. He single-handedly polled a total of 12,214,853 votes, which amounted to 54.3 percent of Jonathan's tally. Riding on the back of APC's nationwide structure backed by 14 governors and their war chest, a Buhari victory in 2015 is quite possible. Counting the Cost - Who is stealing Nigeria's oil? Buhari is popular outside the north as well.

Four days after he created his Twitter account ( @ThisIsBuhari ), he had already amassed 45,000 followers. This is testament to Buhari's growing national - not just northern - acceptability, because the north remains Nigeria's least literate zone . The north, therefore, has a sparse population of Internet users, which means that Buhari's crowd of Twitter followers probably come from across the country. In truth, Buhari cannot take full credit for his popularity outside the north. Full marks should go to Goodluck Jonathan, the man who has unravelled as the antithesis of his opponent's unique selling point. Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati can deliver the floweriest prose about his boss's aversion to corruption while his colleague Doyin Okupe hurls the foulest words at the opposition and other Nigerians daily puncturing the president's professed incorruptibility. But the majority of Nigerians have come to accept that Jonathan, even if re-elected for 10 terms, will never fight corruption. The courage is lacking, the political will is nonexistent, the desperation for re-election is so consuming that he would not hurt the weakest of his corrupt political allies.

So Nigerians are prepared to turn to Buhari, unarguably the least stained presidential aspirant in the eyes of the people. When APC was formed in February 2013, senior PDP figures dismissed it as a failure-bound union of four parties . Who would blame them? Many were sceptical that this merger would not survive even a year. Yet, in another two months, this merger would be two years old. But that is not the story. The story is that all APC presidential aspirants defeated by Buhari have offered him their support. Few expected it. Atiku Abubakar, the man most expected to bolt out of APC in the event of a loss, congratulated Buhari the moment the ex-general's vote count overtook his, even though the winner had not yet been officially announced at the time. There is a massive movement for Buhari, which Jonathan didn't face in 2011. Negative perceptions That Buhari stands a good chance of winning does not mean he is not facing challenges. Nigerians, though forgetful, are largely an unforgiving lot. Their memories only need to be reignited by reminders of an individual's past indiscretions.

Living under Boko Haram in Nigeria That was what Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka did , first in 2007; and his thoughts have been massively re-circulated since Buhari's emergence as the APC candidate. The unjust execution of Lawal Ojuolape, Bernard Ogedengbe and Bartholomew Owoh, through a retroactive decree, will haunt Buhari ahead of February. There is nothing Muhammadu Buhai can do - and he himself knows - to extricate himself from his perception as a religious bigot. For the second time running, he has chosen a pastor as his running mate. But even if he chooses a pope, there are Nigerians who won't pick Buhari for fear of enthroning a religiously extreme president. In 2011, Buhari was accused of inciting the violence that followed his loss to Jonathan. The following year, he said " the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood " should the 2015 election be rigged. Buhari has shed blood before for his presidential ambition, some people believe. And they think he would do it again. Such man, they reason, should never taste power.

And there are those who would never vote for a 72-year-old. How can APC be trumpeting change while fielding a man who was military president more than three decades ago? That's no change; it's recycling. The candidature of a septuagenarian is a dent on whatever progress we think we have made as a democracy. And although there have been arguments on the immorality of voting for either Buhari or Jonathan, Nigeria badly needs the "recycled freshness" that voting Jonathan out would herald! Fisayo Soyombo edits Nigerian online newspaper TheCable . Source: Al Jazeera Father Mbaka speaks on oil well deal with Goodluck Jonathan ▷ NAIJ.COM - Rev Father Mbaka has spoken out regarding an alleged shady affair with Goodluck Jonathan - Mbaka says he did not beg the ex-president for an oil well - He says he has no regret regarding his 2015 prophesy Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka said on Sunday, July 24, that his detractors are after him because of his 2015 prophesy which came to fulfillment with the dawn of change in the country.

Father Ejike Mbaka, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and President Muhammdu Buhari at the state house. The charismatic Catholic cleric disclosed that he had nothing to regret over his 2015 prophesy of change, where he had predicted that former President Goodluck Jonathan would be defeated in the presidential election. Mbaka equally dismissed as baseless the claims that he fell apart with Jonathan over the latter’s refusal of his request for an oil well. The outspoken priest who spoke through his media aide, Barr Maximus Ike Ugwuoke on the sidelines of the activities ahead of his 21 years priestly ordination anniversary, said he would not regret the 2015 change prophesy despite the current sufferings Nigerians were experiencing. READ ALSO: We are not going to be part of any dialogue – ND Avengers slam MEND, issue new statement Instead, he recalled that he had also on several occasions released prophecies on the current hard times bedeviling the nation. The priest, however, maintained that the previous administration, which ran a wasteful government should be held responsible for the present situation.

According to him: “when these prophesies come, it must not be what people think or want; people are entitled to their views; those reactions mean nothing; the important thing is that there is nothing he had prophesized which never came to pass; the ministry does not care how people feel about his prophesies. Some call him controversial priest; some call him fiery priest and all that, they are entitled to their opinion. The fact remains that he is a true prophet “I will tell you something, it is not for us human to judge prophesies; he was the only person who said Buhari would win; if it were in the olden days, all those so-called men of God who castigated him would have received the wrath of God immediately. All of them should be ashamed of themselves now.

“When you look at that prophesy on Jonathan, he gave it and it came to pass; don’t forget that two months before that Prophesy, Jonathan’s wife came to the adoration ground; that is to tell you that the prophesy came from God; if after such visit, he had the courage to reveal such prophesy against them, that tells you that it is much more than what people think; whether the prophesy is a good one or not, talking about the suffering, it has nothing to do with the prophesy. “Before Buhari took over, the dollar was rising, there was already problem with our economy.‎ They had oil boom bit never saved; just wasted the opportunity. Even the suffering we are talking about was part of his prophesies; I recall that in 31st of January this year, he said clearly that Nigerians should brace up for hard times, he said a lot of hardship was under way; this suffering Nigerians are passing through are process of change.

I’m seeing a great future for Nigerians; he made it clear that there are so many holes which needed to be filled.” When asked whether Mbaka could then be described as a prophet of doom, he said: “No way; he is not a prophet of doom; you can’t say that this is a government of doom; this is a government that has unearthed a whole lot of things; the other government had oil boom, which they squandered, they handed over oil doom to this government; we are no longer talking of excess crude; this is what the present government is facing.” Speaking on stories making the rounds that Jonathan rejected his request for an oil well, he stated that “these are lies from the pit of hell; these were used to water down the prophesy because people did not understand. It was even alleged that he received N5m from Buhari; you begin to wonder what is N5m to Mbaka. Is it the school fees he is paying for hundreds of people? This is all propaganda.

“There was also these claims of meeting with APC chieftains before the election; he never held any such meeting; he never met Buhari before the election, there has never been any communication between them; what he has already is bigger than oil well; he is a musician and the ministry is being sustained with that.” On the issue of his prophecy that former Enugu Governor, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani would not win second term, he gave reasons for the non-fulfillment ‎of the prophesy thus: “People who are saying this do not know what happens; a prophesy may come but people may not know what happens in between the period it was supposed to manifest; we have a man in the Bible, who God prophetically told that he would die; however, when he prayed, God extended his number of years. READ ALSO: Fr. Mbaka has vision about Buhari, what he saw was terrifying “So, in the case of Chimaroke, it is true that Mbaka said Chimaroke will not come back; but after that prophesy, the Church authority mandated him to celebrate a mass of forgiveness for Chimaroke. He celebrated that mass; remember it is God that answers prayers.

So, the mass of forgiveness, which he celebrated under the mandate of the diocese is the main reason the prophesy did not come to pass. “People are saying a lot; recently, they even said he didn’t go to Nimbo because of fear. But the truth is that he said the Holy Spirit asked him not to go; he said the trip will continue but that he will send delegates; there could have been so many reasons; he is not a coward; the ministry went there with three truck load of assorted materials; so are you saying he sent other people to be killed? He would have called off the trip if it had to do with herdsmen; it was purely the voice of the Holy Spirit; the other time he was to go for crusade, he called it off. “So, the light of these, we shall be celebrating him this week. He is celebrating 21 years of miraculous life; 21 years of consistent miracles; 21 years of prophesies that have manifested- the change prophesy, the oil doom and all that; he is also celebrating 21 years of charity; the celebration is not for him; it is for all those who have benefited so much from his ministry.

“On several occasions, there have been plots to assassinate him but God has continued to protect him; he has survived harsh criticisms, assassins’ bullets, bombs, among other things; God keeps saving him‎.” Related Stories Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan Admits Defeat Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan Admits Defeat March 31, 2015 Map showing partial election results for Nigeria Share Copy and paste the embed code below. The code has been copied to your clipboard. 64 kbps | MP3 Pop-out player Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has called his opponent, Muhammadu Buhari, to concede the election, according to a VOA reporter in Abuja. Presidential election results on Tuesday showed Mr. Buhari led President Jonathan by almost 2 million votes, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission. He also won at least 25 percent of the vote in at least 24 states, as required by Nigeria’s constitution. The result marks the first time in Nigeria’s history that a current president lost an election. It also marks the end of the 16-year-rule of Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party. Mr.

Buhari, 72, is from the north and served as the country's military ruler in 1984 and 1985 following a coup. Iran, US willing to continue nuclear talks Wednesday Iran says it is willing to continue talks with six world powers for a deal on Tehran's nuclear program. Talks will continue into Wednesday, with the original midnight deadline passing. A member of Iran's negotiating team said Iranian officials will continue to negotiate until the disputed issues are resolved and a deal is reached. The White House said it is willing to continue the negotiations into Wednesday as long as the talks are productive. Iran and the group of nations have a history of extending their deadlines. They've done so twice since agreeing to a short-term nuclear deal in November 2013. U.S. Treasury targets Syrian banker and companies with sanctions The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday placed sanctions on a Syrian official and three companies it said were helping the Syrian government. Reuters news agency said the Treasury Department’s sanctions targeted an official of the Central Bank of Syria. The department also targeted one Syria-based company and two companies in Lebanon for working with a Syrian weapons agency that the Treasury Department said had connections to Syria's chemical weapons program.

Myanmar government, rebels sign draft peace deal The government of Myanmar and representatives from 16 major ethnic rebel groups have signed a draft cease-fire accord that aims to end decades of armed conflict. Speaking at Tuesday's signing in Yangon, President Thein Sein praised the peace deal as the first step towards holding political dialogue with the rebel groups. Before a final deal is signed, the rebels first plan to hold a conference to finalize the terms. No date for the conference has been set. The United Nations praised the draft of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, or NCA, as a "historic and significant achievement." _____________________________________________________________ Words in the News opponent – n. a person, team, group, etc., that is competing against another in a contest or election concede – v. to admit that you have been defeated, and stop trying to win negotiator – n. a person who is involved in formal financial or political discussions in order to try to reach an agreement sanction – n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, draft – n.

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Question: Goodluck Jonathan was defeated in an election in 2015 ending his term as president of which country?
Answer: Nigeria